Current Tape Reviews
Artist Name: Patrick Ahlm |
Title: Hard Act To Follow |
||
Date Posted: September 2011 |
Genre: Country |
Power Mac G5 with Mackie Onyx 400F FireWire interface and two Universal Audio UAD-1 DSP cards running Apple Logic Pro 9, UA plug-ins (LA-2A, 1176, LA-3A, Pultec, SSL bus compressor, Cambridge EQ, EMT 140, CE-1 Chorus) and native plug-ins in Logic (all guitars through Amp Designer) and by Airwindows (Desk and Busscolors); Toontrack Superior Drummer 2.0 and Spectrasonics RMX virtual drum instruments; Golden Age Project Pre-73 mic preamp (vocals, bass, acoustic guitar) and Studio Project VTB preamp (electric guitar); Studio Project C1 mic (vocals and acoustic guitar), Line Audio CM3 mic (acoustic guitar); Monitor speakers: Event SP8, Genelec 1029A, boombox. Norman acoustic guitar, Fender Strat, Squier Telecaster, Epiphone Sheraton II, Squier Classic Vibe Precision Bass.
"Hard Act to Follow" is a male vocal country rock tune. Patrick did it all in his home studio in Vaxjo, Sweden, with the aid of Bruce R.F. Smith who wrote the lyrics.
Anyway, irrespective of its country of origin, "Hard Act To follow" sure sounds like it would have been right at home on the last Eagles release, and we say that as a compliment. From the tom-laden drum intro and the Joe Walsh-style electric guitar to the soaring harmonies, Patrick and Bruce's tune smacks of Southern California to our ears.
Are there issues with the track? Well, we would love to hear a "real" drummer miked in a great space rather than Patrick's programmed ones. As for the other sound sources, from time to time we hear a funny artifact on the lead vocal that seems to smudge some of the sound (a badly set de-esser, perhaps?).
Suggestions: As it stands, what we have here is a very good demo, to our way of thinking. Whether Patrick has the means to hire in and record a live drummer is anyone's guess, but we'd love to hear it. As for the artifact on the vocal, It's subtle but troublesome enough to fix.
Summary: "Imponerande" is Swedish for "Impressive!"
Contact: Patrik Ahlm, ahlmp@yahoo.se


